A source close to the event today confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after ESPN.com’s initial report.

Nick Gaston (5-1 MMA, 0-0 DREAM), Duffee’s originally scheduled opponent, also has been scratched from the card due to the late-notice change.

“DREAM: Japan GP Final” takes place this Saturday, July 16, at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo. No North American broadcast plans have been announced for the event (officially dubbed “Fight for Japan: DREAM Japan GP Final – 2011 Bantamweight Japan Tournament Final”).

Duffee had hoped to rebound from back-to-back losses that cooled his quick rise to the top of the prospect list. After being released from the UFC in fall 2010, he took a short-notice fight against Alistair Overeem for the DREAM interim heavyweight belt at the promotion’s “Dynamite 2010″ event in December and was knocked out cold in 19 seconds.

Duffee hasn’t competed since then. Prior to his dual setbacks, he announced his presence on the world’s biggest MMA stage by breaking the UFC’s record for the fastest knockout with a seven-second KO of Tim Hague.

The Indiana-born Duffee fights out of Grudge Training Center in Denver.

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